1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a reciprocating, internal combustion engine with a multistage intercooled compressor, a heat exchanger, an energy storage chamber, and an energy storing expander.
2. Description of Prior Art
The ways to improve the most popular engine in use today are 1. Separating the compression from the expansion process, 2. Compressing at almost constant temperature, 3. Saving the exhaust heat and using it to heat the compressed air, 4. Changing the engine displacement to match the load while the engine runs, and 5. Storing the hot compressed air so that heat can be added at constant volume. 6. Recovering the energy of the stored air. 7. Using a dynamic brake to slow the load and using the power to compress air into a storage tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,979 to Bush et al. (1973), U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,400 to Kiener (1977), U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,424 to McFee (1982), U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,839 to Bland (1993), U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,388 to Bland (1989), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,821 to Robinson et al (1984) have attempted to achieve one or more of the above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,839 to Bland (1993) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,388 to Bland (1989) attempted to change the displacement while the engine ran, but Bland only changed the amount of air and fuel entering the engine. There is no corresponding change to the stroke of the power piston. In Bland the power piston goes all the way to the bottom of the piston. If the charge is too small a vacuum forms in the cylinder. In addition Bland has a valve obstructing the action of the charge on the power piston while the charge is burning and expanding.
What is needed is to change the engine displacement (the amount of air, fuel and piston travel) to match the load while the engine runs, storing the hot compressed air in such a way that the pressure rise from heat can be obtained at near constant volume, and applying that pressure directly to the power piston.